Urban Decay
by X5R-731
Summary: An Eyes Only mission goes horribly wrong, and now Max and Asha must work together to solve the biggest tragedy in their lives.
1. PART I: Close Your Eyes Only

**URBAN DECAY**

PART I: Close Your Eyes (Only)

It was an unusually warm night in Seattle with a clear sky and a bright full moon. Probably not the best night for a clandestine meeting, thought Logan Cale, alias crusading cyber-journalist, Eyes Only. But it couldn't wait.

He stood on the street corner trying to look inconspicuous as he waited for his contact. Hearing a Police Hover Drone approaching, Logan quickly ducked into a nearby alley. After the drones turbines faded away he heard the sound of soft footfalls coming his way. Peering out he saw a girl wearing worn denim jeans and jacket, a faded pink t-shirt and worn out sneakers. Her mousy brown hair was tied back in a loose pony tail. She was clutching a nylon backpack tightly to her chest and looking around nervously. When she was close enough, Logan stepped out and asked gently, "Karen?"

The girl – Karen – jumped and spun around, swallowing a scream.

Seeing she looked ready to bolt, he said reassuringly, "It's okay, I'm Logan. I was a friend of Dorian's."

Karen let out a shaky breath and relaxed – but only a little. She handed over the knapsack saying, "This is all I could find. Is it enough to nail that bastard?"

Logan rifled through the contents. "Oh yes. This is more than enough. You did a good thing, Karen."

Karen wrapped her arms around herself as if to war off a chill. She said in a small voice, "As long as that son of a bitch gets what's coming to him. After what he did to her…"

Logan put a reassuring hand on her shoulder and said gently, "He won't get away with it, Karen. I promise."

Dorian had been a good friend and reliable informant. Despite what she did for a living she genuinely believed things could get better. When she'd been killed and her body turned up on the toxic shores, Logan had no hesitation about finding out who'd done it. Logan suddenly felt the hairs on the back of his neck and face rise.

"You sure you weren't followed?"

"Yes."

But the feeling of unease wouldn't go away. Taking Karen by her elbow he guided her down the alleyway. As they walked he could hear a second set of footsteps behind him. Quickening his pace, the other footfalls quickened as well. Just as they reached the end of the end of the alley, Logan and Karen were jumped by a second pair of thugs. Karen screamed as two of the thugs grabbed her and began to drag her away. A third thug pinned Logan's arms behind his back leaving him to be worked over by the last thug.

Logan kicked the thug in front of him in the sternum. Because of the exo-skeleton that enabled him to walk, the kick was harder than the hired muscle was expecting, causing him to fly backwards and collide with one of his colleagues holding Karen. The two of them crashed to the ground and Karen continued to grapple with her remaining attacker. The force of the kick pushed Logan and his captor backwards against a nearby building. Winded the thug loosened his grip enough for Logan to shake free. Spinning around Logan kicked the thug in the chest, knocking him out cold.

Meanwhile, Karen was still struggling with her attacker. He'd managed to slip his arm around her throat and proceeded to drag her back down the alley. In desperation, Karen sank her teeth into the soft exposed flesh of his arm. Her captor howled in pain and released her. Karen made a mad dash back out into the open. However the remaining thug quickly recouperated and managed to snatch her jacket sleeve causing her to shriek with terror.

After finishing off his opponent, Logan grabbed Karen and jerked her out of her captors' grip, then decked him with a hard left. Taking her by the hand he yelled, "RUN!"

They eluded their pursuers through the warren that had once been the streets of Seattle, before taking cover behind a trash bin.

"Oh God," Karen whimpered. "Oh God, oh God, oh God."

"Karen," Logan said soothingly, then grabbed her shoulders and said more forcefully, "Karen, listen! If you don't hear from me or Eyes Only in twenty-four hours, I want you to contact a Max Gueverra at Jam Pony Messenger. Do you got that?"

Karen nodded numbly and mumbled, "Yes."

"Good," Logan peered over the dumpster, pulling out his automatic pistol. "When I say run, run. Got it?"

Karen nodded.

Logan heard their pursuers approaching footsteps. He jumped out yelling "RUN," and fired three shots in their general direction. He heard a grunt and a thud as one lucky bullet hit one of their attackers. When he was sure Karen was safely out of harms way (for now) he made his own escape.

During their flight, Logan had kept careful track of where they'd been going, making sure he went around in one big circle ending up back at his car. Turning one last corner he saw it, the grimy grey SUV stood waiting patiently for him. Logan smiled. Just a few more steps and Dorian's death wouldn't be for nothing.

Ivan Stepanovich stood on the rooftop enjoying the clear warm night. It was so clear he didn't even need the infra-red scope on his sniper rifle. Ivan Stepanovich was in a contemplative mood. His target was late so his mind began drifting to other things. Maybe once this job was finished he'd move back to Russia. President Kolpachnikov had been surprisingly successful at rebuilding the Russian War Machine and Ivan Stepanovich wondered if it would be possible for him to get himself reinstated. It would be nice to kill for a cause again instead of just money (not that there was anything wrong with killing for money). Besides this wet temperate climate played havoc with his senses.

Ivan Stepanovich was snapped out of his contemplating by the sound of gunshots. The Russian assassin peered through his scope and found his target. Spiky blonde hair, scruffy beard, pebble glasses – the epitome of the intellectual rebel. Ivan Stepanovich thought he looked a little like Trotsky.

Before Ivan Stepanovich could squeeze off a shot, his target ducked into a nearby vehicle. Cursing in his native tongue, he quickly added a missile to the tip of his rifle. Fortunately, the target's engine was having trouble turning over, so he still had a stationary target. Taking careful aim, Ivan Stepanovich fired and watched with professional satisfaction as the grey SUV erupted into a ball of flames.

To Be Continued…


	2. PART II: Bearing Bad News

PART II: Bearing Bad News 

Logan was dead. The news still hadn't fully sunk in yet. Max couldn't believe it, she'd know if he was dead – wouldn't she?

The day had started out like any other. She'd gotten up, had something passing for breakfast and gone to work. She did her runs while listening to Normal gripe and ignored Alec. Then she'd received a page. The message simply said, "Come to Fogle Towers."

Max hadn't talked to Logan in over a week, not since she'd blown their latest chance to finally be together. Maybe Logan finally wanted to talk or maybe even (perish the thought) he'd discovered a way to get rid of the virus keeping them apart.

When she'd arrived at Logan's penthouse she was surprised to find Bling, Asha Barlow and Detective Matt Sung waiting for her. But no Logan. Asha was sitting against the kitchen table, her hand covering her mouth, apparently trying to stifle her sobbing. It was Bling who'd broken the news to her. Naturally she hadn't believed it at first. She would know if he was gone. But after Matt showed her pictures of his body and other physical evidence, the cold hard truth finally sank in. Max felt numb. Back at Manticore they taught her how to numb herself to pain. But this was different, she'd never felt so – empty.

At some point she ended up back at Jam Pony. Why she came back she didn't know. Shock probably, the need to get on with something routine to take her mind off the unthinkable.

Sketchy was the first to notice something was up with Max. That she was in pain was obvious. But this wasn't the cry on a good friend's shoulder pain. This was the type of pain that was one wrong word could result in severe bodily harm. And Calvin Simon Theodore was just person to say that one thing that would result with him missing several teeth and/or other body parts. There was only one way to handle this situation: keep your head down, stay out of Max's way and wait until Original Cindy got back from her run to defuse the time bomb that was Max. Sketchy did his best to prevent anyone from triggering the explosion.

"Hey Max," Alec said as he strutted back into Jam Pony from a run. "What's up with you? You and lover boy have a fight or something?"

And that was the trigger.

Anyone who saw the punch half expected to see Alec's head fly off and embed itself in the locker room wall. Instead witnesses were treated to a geyser of blood bursting from where his nose had once been. Alec, completely unprepared for (what he perceived as) an unwarranted assault, hit the floor hard. He used every swear word he could think of then made up few more as he tried to staunch the blood.

As Max stormed out of Jam Pony, Sketchy flattened himself and Druid against the wall as she stalked past.

"No fighting on the job," Normal reprimanded. "Sketchy, hot run, 396 Clancy. And somebody get Alec to Metro Medical. Druid, hot run, twenty-first and main. C'mon people – bip bip bip."

Max went straight home focusing her rage on Alec. She felt no remorse for slugging him – he'd had it coming with his selfish, self-serving attitude. He'd already proved that he'd gladly sell out every last one of their kind to save his own skin. If he wasn't Ben's clone twin, she'd have cut off all ties with him after burning down Manticore. Besides the anger kept her mind off Logan.

When she arrived the dilapidated apartment building she called home, she took the service elevator up to her floor and went straight to her apartment ignoring the greeting from her nieghbours.

As soon as the door closed she couldn't hold it in any more. Max let her bike fall to the floor and began to cry. Great gasping sobs erupted from her lungs as her own tears blinded her. So great were the emotions overwhelming her, her legs couldn't support her. She sank to the floor and just sat there letting the pain and grief consume her.

Max could just hear Zack and Lydecker berating her for his this show of weakness. Well _fuck_ them. What the fuck did they know? The only man who'd always come through for her, who'd never let her down was dead and if she wanted to ball her eyes out she was damn well going to. Why did she have to be strong all the time? Other females were aloud to be weepy when there men died, so why couldn't she? No more miracle cures or wonders of modern science – Logan was gone and he wasn't coming back. So Max let the tears fall as this information sank in.

2 Hours Later

Original Cindy came straight home as soon as Sketchy told her what happened. With all the runs Normal put them on, Sketchy and her kept missing each other. The boy may have needed a good smack from time to time but not one that resulted in a shattered nose.

When she entered their apartment she found Max's bike lying carelessly on the floor and the shower running. Original Cindy followed the trail of discarded clothes to the bathroom and knocked tentatively on the door.

"Max," she called a couple of times before trying the door handle. It was unlocked. She entered cautiously, wary of being on the receiving end of Max's violent mood. "Max?"

Original Cindy slowly pulled the shower curtain to reveal Max sitting in the tub hugging her knees to her chest, staring dully forward was the water pelted her body and streaked down her body. She showed no reaction to Original Cindy's presence. OC turned off the shower and knelt down.

"Max."

Again Max didn't react to Cindy's enquiry. Now Cindy was worried. She'd never seen Max like this – so dead to the world. She grasped her friend's hand and said urgently, "Max! Boo please tell me what's wrong."

Max said nothing for a full minute before replying emotionlessly, "Logan's dead."

Original Cindy was taken aback by her response. "Damn. You sure?"

"Wouldn't say it if it wasn't."

"Oh boo, I'm sorry-"

Max suddenly stood up and got out of the tub. Damn, OC thought as her mind took a snapshot of Max's wet nude body. Max quickly toweled herself down and dashed out of the bathroom.

"Max," Original Max called after her. "Where're you going?"

Cindy tried to keep her mind off of Max's fine form as her friend ducked into her room and came out a moment later dressed in black jeans and halter top. As she threw on her leather jacket, Original Cindy again asked, "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to find Logan's killers," Max said in a voice that froze Original Cindy's blood, as she guided her ninja towards the door. "And pay them back in full."

To Be Continued… 


	3. PART III: Prerogatives & Objectives

PART III: Prerogatives & Objectives 

"Who did it?" Max demanded.

Bling and Asha looked up from Logan's computer at the sound of Max's voice.

"What?" Bling said.

"Who had Logan killed," she repeated slowly.

Asha and Bling exchanged a look before Asha admitted, "We don't know."

"What do you mean 'you don't know' !"

"What she means," Bling interjected quickly before things got out of hand. "Is that we haven't been able to narrow down the suspects yet."

"Well why not start with whatever it was he was working on recently?"

"Yeah like that never occurred to us," Asha said under her breath, then loud enough for Max to hear. "Because he was working on a special assignment for Eyes Only. Only he knows what Logan was working on and only Logan could contact him."

Max and Bling exchange knowing glances. Asha still didn't know Logan was Eyes Only. For whatever reason Logan had not let her into his confidence and it was not the best of times to reveal that now. Max sighed, forcing down her vengeful anger.

"Do we have any leads?"

Bling shook his head sadly. "Not yet. Sebastian and me trying to hack into Logan's diaries to try and get a clue as to what he was working on, but that's gonna take some time."

"Right," Max said purposely. "You keep up with that. I'm going to do a little digging of my own."

"Hang on," Asha called after her. "I'll come with you."

"No thanks. I work better alone."

But Asha wasn't going to be put off that easily. "I know the Eyes Only sources that could point us to what Logan was working on."

"I'm not interested in what he was working on, just who killed him."

"And the best way to find out who killed him is to find out what he was working on."

"I've got my own sources."

"And so do I," Asha said firmly. "Besides someone has to keep you from killing them just because you _think_ they're holding out on you."

_Please_, Bling thought. _Don't get Max anymore upset than she already is_.

The two women stood glaring stubbornly at one another, for a moment giving Bling a chance to observe how physically different they were. Max was small, muscular, dark complexion with brown eyes and long black hair. Asha was taller than Max, slender, pale complexion with blue eyes and short blond hair. One was the perfect woman for Logan, while the other was his dream girl. In fact that was the one thing the two of them would admit to having in common: they were both devoted to Logan Cale. If anyone were to say they were at all alike there'd be more denials than at a Congressional hearing.

"Fine," Max said eventually. "As long as you don't slow me down."

"Not a problem," Asha said as she brushed passed Max to pick up her jacket. "We'll take my car."

"You have a car."

SEATTLE CORONER'S OFFICE 

"Are you sure?" Detective Sung asked.

Dr. Shankar shrugged. "I can't be sure without running more tests, but…it's starting to look like it."

The two of them were standing on either side of a slab with the charred remains of Logan Cale. Mat looked down at the badly burned body then back to Dr. Shankar. "How much time do you need?"

"A day," she replied. "Maybe two if I want to keep people from finding out what I'm doing."

"I'll run as much interference as I can. Then get your results to me as quick as you can."

To Be Continued… 


	4. PART IV: Broken

PART IV: Broken 

**Benny's Café**

Last night had been a disaster. Max and Asha had spent the entire night looking up every informant, snitch and lowlife they could think of and none of them had any information.

Max had been surprised – and a little hurt – at how much Asha knew about the Informant Net and its operatives. It seemed the only thing she didn't know was the identity of the organization's founder. Admittedly, Max had never officially signed up for Logan's crusade, despite jokingly referring to her as his field commander. Even after that business with Gerhardt Bronck she could only really describe her association with Eyes Only as casual. She did the assignments Logan asked her to but didn't take much interest in the organization itself. Her interest leaning more towards the man than the myth. Because of her intimate knowledge of the network, Max began to wonder (not for the first time) just how intimate Logan and Asha had been?

Asha, for her part, was exhausted. She hadn't slept in over twenty-four and wanted nothing more than to curl up in the backseat of her car and pass out. But she dare not. Every time she shut her eyes she could see Logan burning to death. Why hadn't Logan taken any back up with him? Asha looked up from her coffee at Max and was irritated that the young woman didn't even look tired. She took another shot of caffeine determined not to let sleep overtake her in front of Max.

"So how do you and Logan know each other," Max asked, unexpectedly.

"What," Asha said, shaking her head awake.

"When did you and Logan meet?"

"Oh, um, we met in college."

"Oh."

Awkward silence.

"Were you and him ever…"

"No. He was already involved with someone at the time."

Max nodded. "Daphne."

That surprised Asha. "How'd you know?"

"I met her at Logan's cousin Bennett's wedding."

"Oh."

More silence.

"Well," Max said. "I suppose I better get to work." She needed to keep busy; to keep her mind off what was happening. "Let me know if Bling finds anything."

"Right."

When Asha was sure Max was gone, she returned to her car, curled up in the backseat and prayed for dreamless sleep.

**JAM PONY**

"Excuse me."

Normal looked up to see a nervous young woman with mousy, brown hair standing on the other side of his cage. "Sorry, we're not hiring."

"What? No I'm looking for Max Gueverra, is she here?"

Normal glanced at his watch and grumbled, "You're a little early. She usually drags herself in here at the crack of ten."

The girl sighed and disappeared before Normal looked up.

When Max arrived at work, she almost collided with a girl she didn't recognize. The two mumbled apologies and continued about there business.

"Normal," Max said marching up to the dispatch desk. "What've you got for me?"

Normal looked up in surprise. "You are aware it is before ten o'clock, don't you?"

"Don't start with me, Normal," Max warned. "You got a run for me or not?"

Normal handed her a package. "396 Clancy."

It was like that all day. No back talk, no smart mouth comments, no complaints. Normal called out runs and Max delivered the packages. Most employers would be pleased with such a diligent employee – Normal was terrified. This was not right. He wasn't used to almost respect from his employees, especially Max, and began to wonder if he was loosing his mind.

Max for her part just wanted to get the day over with, so she could contact Bling to see if he'd found anything. Of course if he had discovered anything, he would've called. Around the end of the day when she was at her locker, she met up with Alec. His nose was heavily bandaged but fortunately for Manticore genetics it was already mending. She should probably apologize for messing up his pretty face, but she wasn't in the mood for apologizing right now.

"Original Cindy told me about Logan," Alec said. Max stiffened slightly but didn't acknowledge his presence. "Look Maxie, I'm sorry. I know how you feel - "

That got a reaction. Max jumped up, grabbed Alec by the lapels of his jacket and threw him against the lockers. "Don't try it dickwad. Just don't. I am so not in the mood for your sensitive guy bullshit act. You don't know how I feel. Your incapable of understanding a tenth of what I'm going through, so shove it up your nose and blow it out your ass!"

Alec's face unexpectedly darkened and looked like he was about to say something when Normal yelled, "No fighting on the premises. Max, you got a phone call on line one."

Max quickly forgot about Alec and raced to the payphone. Snatching up the receiver she said, "Bling?"

"Max," he replied. "Something's come up, can you come over?"

"I'm already there." Max slammed down the receiver and made a break for the exit. "Gotta blaze Normal. Family emergency."

As Normal watched Max disappear out the front. Outwardly he was fuming, but mentally he gave a sigh of relief – all was right with the world.

**Logan's Penthouse**

She found Bling sitting at Logan's computer scrolling through data. It was strange seeing someone else at his keyboard, but pushed the thought aside. "What've you got Bling?"

"Hey Max. I got a name."

"His killer?"

"Sorry no." Bling pressed a few keys and a picture of a beautiful mocha coloured woman with lustrous black hair appeared on screen. "Dorian McIntyre, one of Logan's sources. She was killed a few weeks ago and Logan was investigating her death. He seemed to think it was connected to another story he was working on."

"Any idea what that was?"

Bling shook his head sadly. "No, we hadn't got that far."

"Do we know anything?"

"Only that the night Logan died, he was meeting a co-worker of her's."

"Where'd she work? Maybe I could find her."

"Dorian was a dancer at the Cherry Bomb. Asha said she'd meet you there tonight."

**Cherry Bomb -After Dark**

"What'd you bring him for," Asha demanded when Max and Alec peddled up to the front entrance of the strip club.

"I didn't 'bring him'," Max said. "He did what he always does – he tagged along hoping for a little attention. He's worse than a lost puppy."

"Hey," he said defensively. "I'm just trying to help out a friend. Besides I figured you could use my expertise in this area."

Alec flashed a charming smile at a couple of ladies going back inside. When they smiled back, he thought tonight might not be a total loss.

Max reached over and grabbed Alec's not quite healed nose, giving it a vicious twist. "Listen up, pal. You will not talk, flirt, charm, breath or do anything that might otherwise annoy me, got it?" When Alec didn't answer fast enough, Max twisted his already broken nose a little harder and repeated, "Got it?"

"Yes," Alec yelled in agony.

Max snapped his nose back into place before letting go. "Good boy." As far as she was concerned, straightening his nose was apology enough for breaking it in the first place.

"How did you break your nose," Asha asked as Max marched into the club.

"Well you see," he began to crow. "There were the ten big guys-"

"Never mind," Asha snorted and followed Max inside, Alec on her heels.

Asha and Alec took a seat at a table by the stage while Max spoke to the bar tender. Alec looked up and managed to catch the eye of an attractive brunette dancer. Maybe his day was finally starting to look up. Just as she was cozying up to him, Max joined them.

Ignoring Alec and his new conquest, she spoke directly to Asha. "Bar tender recognized Logan, apparently he was a semi-regular. He's going to let us talk to one of his girls about his relationship with Dorian McIntyre."

"How'd you manage that?"

"I told him I was his wife, you were his girlfriend and Alec was his boyfriend, and we all want to find out just how many people he's been stepping out with."

"What!" Alec sputtered hearing his part in this.

"And we think he might have AIDS, which is why the bar tender is letting us talk to his dancers to make sure he hasn't spread it."

That pretty much put the kibosh on whatever Alec had planned with the nubile brunette. Hearing he might have and STD she quickly turned her attentions to another table.

"No," Alec pleaded. "I'm not – I don't-" but it was too late. "Well thank you very much."

"Get over it," Max snapped. "You'll find another shortie later."

A pale dancer with joined them heavily dyed red-hair, called Cally. Introductions were made and after Logan's identity was confirmed, the interrogation began.

"Did he have a favourite girl? One he specifically came to see?"

"Just Mocha. But she didn't dance for him or nothing. Whenever he came around, they'd get together and talk at the back of the bar. We always thought he was her guy, but she always said it wasn't like that. Of course we could tell if he ever wanted it to be more, she'd jump to it in a heartbeat."

Alec rolled his eyes. Oh great another member of the Logan Cale Lonely Hearts Fan Club. Honestly, what did that scruffy, self-righteous, crippled ordinary have that he didn't? He was younger, stronger, a hell of a lot better looking, a sexual dynamo and all he'd ever gotten from the two of the three lovely ladies sitting him was derision and rejection.

Max and Asha remained oblivious to Alec's mental turmoil. "Did you notice any change in her behaviour recently," Asha asked."

"Well, there was this one time. It was at a party Scott hired us out to, real high-class event. Us and a group of working girls. Between shows, Dorian disappeared for a few minutes. It wasn't like her, she was usually very professional. When she turned up, she was really nervous and you know. Said she wasn't feeling well and asked Benny to take her home. A few days later … she," Cally broke off, unable to finish.

"Do you think Logan had anything to do with her death," Max asked, deciding to play devil's advocate.

"I don't know, maybe. Dorian was usually a good judge of character. She could always tell the difference between the creeps and perverts from the lonely guys just looking for a good show." Cally began to break down again.

Asha waited patiently for Cally to compose herself before asking, "Do you know who was hosting the party or recognize any of the guests?"

"No, not by name. But I'm sure I saw some of them on television."

"Can you think of anything that might help?"

"He was here a coupla a nights ago. Not in the club, out back in the alley. He was talking to Katydid – Mocha's roommate."

"Do you know what they were talking about?"

"No, but it was pretty intense. All hushed yelling and stuff. Kyle thought he was harassing her and chased him off."

"Can we talk to Katydid?"

Cally shook her head. "She hasn't been in the last two nights. Everyone's starting to get worried."

"Can you give us an address?"

She did and Max and Asha got up to leave.

Alec hung back, "Did Mocha or any of the girls mention me?"

"Yeah, she said you were a lousy tipper."

**Dorian's Apartment**

Someone had gotten there before them. Cupboards emptied, drawers overturned, pillows and mattresses slashed, wall's smashed, your basic ransacking.

As they surveyed the carnage, Max said, "Look around, see if they missed anything."

"Like what," Alec snorted. "The windows?"

"Instead of trying to be funny," Asha snapped before Max could. "Why not put some of those superior senses to finding something us mere mortals would miss!"

Much as she to admit it, Max was starting to like Asha and began to see why Logan trusted her. She began to wonder, not for the first time, if Logan would have been better off if she'd stayed dead. Free Logan so he could have something passing for a normal life.

During her search, Max came across a photograph of Dorian, a young man and a kid. Her genetically enhanced vision easily identified familial traits. The man was probably her brother, the kid a nephew. Did they know about Dorian? Did they care?

The shattered glass of the picture frame reminded her of her own broken family: Logan and Tinga were dead; Zack and Brin were lost to her; she had no idea where Zane and Jondy were; and all she had left of Ben was a smart-ass carbon copy. Fuck, she even missed Lydecker and all he had ever done was make her life miserable. But looking at the distorted smiling faces reminded her of what she'd lost and never had. She noticed two drops of water splash across the picture. Damn, she thought. My eyes are leaking again.

"Max," Asha called softly from the entrance to one of the bedrooms.

Max ferociously wiped her tears away. She couldn't handle it if Asha caught her crying. Alec she could handle, she'd just beat him up and threat to tell everyone he'd gotten his ass kicked by a girl (something his macho ego could never accept). With Asha it was different, just the fact she'd know was humiliating.

"Dorian needed to clean up in here more often," Max said lamely. "This place is almost as filthy as mine."

"Yeah," Asha said softly, walking up to Max, with an understanding half-smile. "I got a call from Bling. He wants us back at the penthouse, sounded important."

"Right," Max put the picture down gently. "Where's Alec?"

"Raiding the fridge."

Max sighed irritably. "Okay, we'll dump him off back at the Cherry Bomb before heading over there."

As they left (dragging Alec by the scruff of his neck) Max's mind began to drift to could be responsible for all this. Eyes Only had no shorted of enemies, but which one was it? Who had succeeded where Gerhardt Bronck, John Darius, the sector cops and various other dirt bags had failed? Just who were they up against?

To Be Continued …


	5. PART V: The Detail Man

PART V: The Detail Man 

Councilman Thomas Higgs was in a jittery mood. He normally wasn't a jittery person; you couldn't afford to be when half your life was in the public eye. Especially now with the mayoral elections so close. Councilman Higgs had been the ideal choice for the next mayor of Seattle, young, energetic, good looking – the media ate him up. Not only that, but his civic achievements were just as impressive. He'd put more money into the civil and economic recovery department than anyone before him. Fortunately no one looked to closely at where that money was coming from. But somehow Eyes Only had gotten on to him and set that whore on him. She'd stolen his papers and when he confronted her it got physical. It had been an accident, but the press would crucify him.

One of his aides had directed him to someone who could make this problem disappear – for the right price. Which is what brought him to where he was now. Like so many other dilapidated buildings in post-pulse Seattle it had been abandoned in the chaos that followed. The perfect place for a little felonious activity. Higgs told his driver to wait and went inside. A powerfully built man in a suit and tie met him with a Mohawk and goatee.

"I'm here to see your boss."

The bruiser regarded Higgs through heavily lidded eyes, and then led him inside. Walking through the grimy halls and rickety metal stairs, Higgs could hear a variety of screams echoing throughout the corridors. The well-bred councilman didn't know what was going on behind the locked doors, and preferred to keep it that way. He just wanted a progress report on his situation and leave. The bruiser stopped in front of what had once been the building administrators office and knocked three times. Thomas pushed passed him impatiently and barged in.

"Is this what passes for manners these days?" Came an emotionless electronic voice.

"I don't have time for your false airs and graces! What's being done about - "

A figure stepped out into the dim office light. A man of medium height and build, with brown hair. He was dressed immaculately in a second hand Armani suit but it was his face that drew the most attention – it wasn't real. It was a finely crafted plastic mask, even the eyes weren't real – but they did move. This was the Detail Man.

Throughout the Seattle underworld (and parts of the west coast), the Detail Man was known for cleaning up the less than honest activities of the well-to-do: paper trails, physical evidence, the occasional body (although he personally never authorized an actual hit). An independent contractor if you will, it was his responsibility to make sure the rich and powerful never fell out of their ivory towers.

His real identity was a mystery, but the story was he'd once been one of Seattle's numerous gangsters until a poorly planned heist resulted in him being sprayed with hazardous chemicals. The chemical cocktail disintegrated his face and melted his vocal cords. He'd had a vocal synthesizer built directly into his throat, giving him the droning monotone that passed for a voice.

Higgs felt a shiver dance down his spine as he saw the fake, lifeless eyes move from him to the body behind him. Fortunately for Higgs, his life in politics prevented him from showing his true emotions.

"That will do for now, Mr. Laurinitas," then turned to Higgs. "Now, councilman, what seems to be the problem?"

"You know damn well what the problem his!"

The Detail Man gave an electric sigh. "Your problem has been taken care of – both of them."

"But the other girl is still out there. And you still haven't recovered the documents."

"The other girl is of no importance. And as for the documents, they were destroyed in the car explosion."

"You don't know that! When I came to you, you said you could handle this quickly and quietly, without media coverage. And in less than twenty-four hours, her body washes up on Seattle's shore."

"Dozen's of bodies wash up on the shore. Ms. McIntyre's demise was met with little fanfare. No one cared."

"Eyes Only cared!"

"Councilman Higgs," the Detail Man droned on tolerantly, placing an amiable arm around his shoulders. "Walk with me."

Higgs resisted the urge to remove the arm from his person. He was sure the Detail Man's bodyguard would take offense to his refusal of his boss' familiarity, so he allowed the Detail Man to lead him through the halls. Along the way they passed people carrying files, boxes, bags and variously roughed up individuals. Higgs did his best to forget these images – they couldn't be healthy in the long run.

"Councilman," the Detail Man continued as they walked. "I assure you, I and my associates are doing everything within our power to salvage the situation. More than your political career is on the line, my professional reputation is at stake. Which is why," they stopped in front of a steel door. "I am taking extra steps to ensure our success."

The Detail Man removed his arm from Higgs' shoulders to open the door and reveal a wretched figure danglingoff the floor. "Isn't that right, Mr. Cale?"

To Be Continued…

And you thought sim-r' cliffhanger's were evil?

(whahahahaha)


	6. PART VI: Not Enough Answers

PART VI: Not Enough Answers 

When Max got home later that night, she collapsed down on her bed and stared up at the ceiling. The tip Bling had given them had been a bust. They'd learned Logan was investigating a huge drug smuggling operation, but didn't know who was behind it. Given the level of organization it was somebody pretty high up, maybe even on the city councilman (big surprise there). But without a name, they didn't know where to start looking.

Original Cindy had invited Max to come with her to Crash, but declined. Getting stone drunk appealed to her. Just seeing how many of the boys she could drink under the table before she got a buzz would've been a nice diversion. But she couldn't afford diversions now. She needed to stay focused and alert. When she found Logan's killer, when she'd ripped his head off and spat down his throat, then she'd just how much alcohol it would take to drown herself.

Someone was in her apartment.

Max sat bolt upright. "Cindy?"

No reply.

But her transgenetic senses warned her of an intruder. She slipped off the bed and crept stealthily through the dark. Her enhanced senses focused on the intruder, and then pounced. The housebreaker screamed and struggled feebly in Max's grip. Max hauled her to her feet and threw her against the wall. While holding her firmly, Max flicked on a light and flashed it in the intruder's face. It was the girl she'd bumped into outside Jam Pony the other day.

"Please," she pleaded in a small voice. "Don't hurt me."

"Who are you? What are you doing here?"

"I-I was told to look for you if I didn't here from him or Eyes Only in forty-eight hours."

Realization exploded like a grenade. "You were with Logan that night! You must be Katydid."

"Karen," she corrected automatically.

A few moments later Max offered Karen a cup of coffee and made her comfortable. Karen told Max about what happened the night she met with Logan. How she'd escaped and been in hiding – the streets, abandoned buildings, various Jamestowns. When she hadn't heard about any recent Eyes Only bulletins, she snuck back into Seattle and went to Jam Pony to find Max.

Max couldn't stop a warm feeling of satisfaction swell in her chest that Logan had sent Karen to her instead of Asha. Then again, he could simply have sent Karen to Max because it was easier for her to get to Jam Pony than Fogle Towers.

She asked Karen about the party where Dorian most likely acquired the papers Karen found hidden in Dorian's room. "Did you recognize any of the guests?"

"Yeah, a few. Faces from the newspapers and television, but no names."

Max sighed in frustration. She desperately wanted to put her fist or foot threw something or someone, but she didn't have a clue who to take it out on.

"Actually," Karen piped up. "There was a name that got thrown around a bit. I think he was the guest of honour or something. Riggs, Biggs, Jiggs, Diggs? Higgs, that's it, Tommy Higgs!"

Max jumped to her feet. "C'mon."

"Where're we going?"

"Just c'mon." Max maneuvered her motorcycle towards the door. "I want to show you something.

Max and Karen rode to Fogle Towers to access the Informant Net. When they arrived at Logan's penthouse, Max was annoyed that Bling wasn't at the computer terminal. But she could hardly expect Bling to sit staring at the computer screen twenty-four hours a day seven days a week. Max moved to the console and began to access the net.

Hearing the cock of a pistol behind her, she swung around to find Asha (in her underwear) pointing her gun at Max. Asha sighed and relaxed, lowering her pistol when she saw whom it was.

"Max, what're you doing here?"

"We have a break."

"Really, what?"

Max introduced Karen and repeated to Asha what she'd told her. Asha quickly sat down at Logan's computer and began scrolling through data.

"Here we are," Asha announced. Max and Karen looked on over her shoulders. "Thomas Higgs, city councilman, public works. Ah, here we are, apparently two of his campaign backers were Edgar Sonrisa and Peirpont Lemkin. He was also a golfing buddy of Synthedyne CEO, Sidney Croal."

"So considering Sonrisa and Croal are dead," Max said. "Lemkin must have been the one who put the hit out on Logan."

"I don't think so," Asha said. "According to this, Lemkin's been out of the country for the last year. Tax reasons."

Ah, the Internal Revenue Service, the one truly incorruptible U.S. institution. The government wanted its revenues, and it was damn well going to get them no matter how rich and powerful you were.

"Still," Asha continued. "This is the first solid lead we've had. I'll get someone to follow his movements."

"Don't bother," Max said. "I'll handle this."

"Are you sure?"

"It's what I was built for. Look after Karen would ya. I'll be back tomorrow night." Max disappeared while Asha made arrangements to get Karen out of Seattle.

HIGGS' RESIDENCE

Max had spent the entire day trailing Higgs. Meetings, interviews, luncheons – the typical day of a civil servant. In other words, she hadn't learned a damn thing. Max was frustrated, irritated, impatient and angry. Clearly Higgs wasn't going to lead her to Logan's killer, so it was time to get proactive.

She effortlessly slipped past his security and into his home. She found him in his study going over some last minute paperwork. Grabbing him by the back of his head and slammed him face first onto his desk, then threw him backwards onto the floor.

Jamming her foot onto his esophagus, she demanded, "Who killed Logan Cale?"

Higgs gasped for breath. "Don't … Don't know … what you're talking about."

"Wrong answer!"

max took her foot off his throat and kicked him in the sternum. Turning him over, she grabbed one of his arms and pulled it straight up while keeping her heel pressed at the base of his skull.

"Who killed Logan Cale?"

"Please, I swear I don't know what you're talking about."

Max broke one of his fingers. When he was done screaming, Max said, "You've got nine left. What's it gonna be? You gonna tell me what I want to know or - " she slowly began to bend another finger.

Suddenly there was a loud banging on the door. "Councilman, are you alright," came a voice from the other side.

"Help me," Higgs yelled. "For God's sake help me!"

the door burst open and two security guards barged in. max released Higgs and leapt over the desk, dropkicking both men in the chest. She rolled out into the hallway to see two more guards coming around a corner. Weapons drawn they opened up on the intruder. Max took off down the hall and dove threw a window. As shattered glass fell around her like lethal rain, she landed gracefully on her feet and made a dash for her motorcycle, all the while bullets kicking up dirt at her heels and whistling past her head. She jumped the fence in one bound and mounted her bike, disappearing into the night. When she was sure she was far enough away, she hopped of her bike and hit the first thing she could – unfortunately a brick wall.

Stupid, stupid, stupid, she thought furiously as she slammed her fist over and over again into the wall. She'd made so many mistakes that if this had been a Manticore mission, she'd have found herself in a slab back in the lab being dissected just to find out where they'd gone wrong. Now Higgs will have his security tightened up so much, she'd never get near him let alone anyone from S1W.

Eventually, Max stopped punching the wall. She looked down at her hand to see her glove torn to shreds and her knuckles covered in blood. Retrieving the first aid kit from her bike, Max dosed her bloody hand with disinfectant alcohol, relishing the stinging sensation it gave. Pain seemed to be the only thing she could feel with certainty these days.

As she bandaged her hand, her pager went off. Finding a payphone, she called Asha. "What!"

"Max," Asha said anxiously. "You've got to get back here quickly. You're not going to believe what's come up."

"The name of Logan's killer," Max said eagerly, the night's disasters temporarily forgotten.

"No, that's just it. There's a chance Logan might be alive."

DETAIL MAN'S WHAREHOUSE

"Really Mr. Cale," the Detail Man droned. "You are being needlessly obstructive. All we wish to know is if the documents you collected were destroyed and where the girl you met with is."

"Don't," the pathetic figure gasped. "Don't know … what …"

one of the thugs at his side socked the already heavily bruised man in the jaw.

"Mr. Hergstrand," the Detail Man said, in a voice had it any emotion, would have been gentle admonishment. "How is Mr. Cale suppose to give us any answers if he is not aloud to speak?"

"Sorry sir," Hergstrand said, suitably cowed. "Won't happen again."

"Good."

The interrogation room door opened welcoming a tall, bulky bruiser in an ill-fitting suit with long hair and an unkept goatee. "Yes, Mr. Addames what is it?"

Addames held up a cell phone. "Councilman Higgs, sir."

If rolling his eyes didn't take such an effort, the Detail Man would be doing it a lot these days. Turning to the other two muscle men he instructed, "Messrs, Hergstrand and Heisenberg, take him down and clean him up. We'll continue this tomorrow."

While Hergstrand and Heisenberg set about their routine task, the Detail Man addressed his irksome client. "Hello councilman, how may I help you?"

"Eyes Only knows, he sent an assassin to KILL me!"

the Detail Man waited patiently for Higgs to calm down. There was no point in telling Higgs that Eyes Only did not kill. Sonrisa and Solinsky were killed by irate business partners and as for Bronck, well, accidents happen.

When Higgs began to run out of breath, the Detail Man interjected smoothly, "Calm yourself, councilman, I assure you I have something for just such an emergency. Tell me, have you ever hear of Steelheads …"

FLASHBACK – ESCAPE

There it was, his grimy SUV less than ten meters away. Straining his eyesight, he made sure no one was around before sprinting towards the car. His bionic exo-skeleton got him there in half the time. Pulling open the door he threw the knapsack into the passenger seat before jumping in himself. He fumbled with the key to get it into the ignition, but when he tried to start the engine it wouldn't turn over.

"Come on, come on," Logan pleaded as the engine wheezed.

Suddenly he caught a flicker of movement out of the corner of his eye. Looking up he saw in the rearview mirror someone rising up from the backseat. He slipped a piece of garroting wire around throat, the placed his foot against the back of Logan's seat and pulled. Logan managed to slip his thumbs underneath the wire to give himself precious millimeters to breath. He tried to use his upper-body strength to break free but his attacker had too much leverage. Instead he hit the seat adjuster, throwing the seat backwards, taking his strangler off balance. Logan threw his arms back over his assailant's head and hauled him over the front seat. The strangler landed on the car floor and Logan punched him until he stopped struggling.

Hearing an ominous whistling sound, Logan looked up to see a missile heading straight for him. Forgetting about his attacker and the incriminating papers, Logan threw himself out of his vehicle as it erupted into flames.

Logan's momentum plus the force of the explosion carried him to safety, just a little singe. Struggling to his feet, he suddenly felt a gun barrel pressed to his head.

Logan was awakened by a dose of cold water splashed across his face. Once again his arms were chained above his head with his useless legs dangling above the floor. This time he noticed electrodes taped to his chest, arms and torso.

"Now then, Mr. Cale, shall we try again," said the grating metallic voice just before five thousand volts of electricity racked Logan's body

To Be Continued …


	7. PART VII: Red Steel

PART VII: Red Steel 

Max had to hand it to Bling, there weren't many people who could shock her speechless and he'd managed to do that twice in less than a week. Although Asha had been the one to break the news, she hadn't believed it until she got back to the penthouse and Bling presented the evidence.

It turned out the body in Logan's car belonged to a Con Parker, a professional strangler and all round dirtbag. His current employer was unknown, but somebody had gone to a lot of trouble to fudge the original autopsy. If it hadn't been for Dr. Shankar's suspicious eye for detail, it would have stayed that way.

Max couldn't stop the swell of hope bubble up in her chest. It had gone from a mission of vengeance to a search and rescue. Provided of course, the cynical side of Max's psyche pointed out, Logan was still alive. For all they knew, Logan had been captured and killed somewhere else. But the bond that connected them said otherwise. A part of her never truly believed Logan was gone, and now thanks to Dr. Shankar, she knew for sure.

Max, Asha, Bling, Detective Sung and even Alec were all sitting around Logan's penthouse mulling over prospective plans of action. Getting a call on her cell, Asha took it in the kitchen.

"Asha," said the voice on the line. "It's Bruce."

Bruce worked for S1W.

"Hey, Bruce. What'd you got for me?"

Bruce and his partner Robbie had followed Higgs' to one of the many abandoned factories in Seattle and were awaiting further instructions.

Asha hesitated. Should she tell the others or go it alone with a S1W squad. Show Logan that she was more than capable of handling a crisis, that he didn't need Max and then, well, maybe he'd see her as something more than just the Supreme Commander of S1W. But for how long? How long could she stay between this Max/Logan ménage a deux? How long before he started pining away for his attainable dream girl?

"Max," she called. "I got a heads up on Higgs' current whereabouts."

Asha and Max – with Alec in tow – piled into Asha's car and went to meet with Bruce and Robbie. Before leaving the car, Asha collected a colt .45 from the glove compartment and a machine pistol from under the seat.

When Alec commented on them, Asha said, stuffing the colt into the back of her pants, "Some of us don't have the benefits of super powers."

The trio met up with Bruce and Robbie at the beat up Mercury Topaz they'd used to follow the councilman.

"Hey Bruce," Asha said. "Any change?"

"Asha," Bruce replied. "No change. Higgs went in and hasn't come out. That was an hour ago."

"Thanks. Give us a buzz if anything looks suspicious."

"Right."

As Max, Asha and Alec entered the deserted factory, they were oblivious to another trio approaching their backup walking in perfect unison.

Inside the factory, Max said, "You two wait here, I'm going to scout around first."

As she disappeared into the gloom. Alec grumbled, "Who died and put her in charge?"

Asha was getting fed up with Alec's whining. "You didn't have to come."

Before Alec could bite back an appropriately scathing remark, his enhanced hearing picked up uniform footsteps. "Do you hear that?"

"What?"

Just then he saw three figures approaching them, fast. When Alec finally got a good look at them he screamed over his shoulder, "Max – Steelheads!" Just as one of them plowed into him.

Asha managed to fire off one round of her machine pistol before the Steelhead knocked it out of her hands. The bullets bounced harmlessly of its metallic reinforced hide. It grabbed her by the throat and lifted her off the ground. Asha gasped as iron hands crushed her windpipe.

Alec grappled on the floor with his Steelhead opponent as he saw another one – female if the braid was any indication – racing at almost impossible speed to where Max was. The combatants rolled to their feet and the Steelhead threw Alec against the wall. Alec's jaw dropped in shock when he got a clear view of his opponent. The face staring back at him – was his own!

Max heard Alec's warning and raced back to the others. The tactical choice would have been to withdraw and assess her options, but she'd never been the withdrawing type. Along the way she met one of the Steelheads and gasped in horror at the familiar face. "Tinga," she managed to exhale just before the cyber-chick slammed into her with the force of a Mack truck.

Blood began to fill Asha's vision as she continued to struggle hopelessly against the steel grip around her throat, gasping desperately for air. If he continued to squeeze at this rate he'd succeed in popping her head like a zit. Asha briefly wondered why the Steelhead simply didn't snap her neck - it was more than capable. Maybe there was some small part of its brain – the cruel sadistic side of it – was still human. Acting desperately, Asha pulled out her spare pistol, jammed the barrel in its remaining eye and emptied the clip. The bullets easily tore through the soft, spongy tissue and she swore she could hear the bullets ricocheting around in its metal plated skull.

It released her, staggering around waving its arms in a gruesome pantomime. Asha dropped to the floor coughing and struggling for breath. She watched the Steelhead's macabre dance before finally – its head exploded.

Hearing heavy footsteps behind her, she looked over her shoulder to see Alec walking towards her. No, not Alec. She could see the metal implants and enhancements on its face and arms. Raising her gun she fired her two remaining shots at the facsimile-Alec. It jerked back slightly, but didn't stop its advance. She saw Alec stumble out of the darkness, battered, bloodied and limping but still displaying his ever-present infuriating arrogance.

"Hey," he called, slurring slightly. "Where're you going handsome? We were just getting to know each other."

Alec leapt forward kicking his doppelganger in the spine. The Steelhead lurched forward but didn't fall. It swung around aiming a fist at Alec's head. Alec ducked and delivered an uppercut and two blows to its midsection. The X5 ignored the pain in his hands as he continued to pummel the steel reinforced flesh. The Steelhead that had once been X5-493 showed no indication of feeling the blows. Instead he threw Alec against the wall and began to throttle him.

"Okay," Alec gasped. "That's it, I don't care how gorgeous you are. I'm going to kick your steel metal butt around your shoulders."

He struggled to break free to no avail.

Asha jumped to her feet pulling an explosive she'd been hiding in her coat pocket. She taped it to the Steelhead's back and yanked out the pin screaming, "Alec run!"

"Oh shit."

The Steelhead released Alec and frantically grabbed for the explosive. Asha and Alec dove clear as the blast ripped the cyborg apart.

Alec sat up and looked over at Asha in amazement. "You busy Friday night?"

Max, meanwhile, was having her own troubles trying to fend off the lethal attacks of her mechanized sister. "Tinga, please. It's me, Max."

The Steelhead showed no indication of recognition and kicked Max hard in the sternum. Max flew six meters before hitting the ground. The Steelhead leapt after her and Max just barely rolled out of the way before she landed on her.

"If you don't recognize me," Max pleaded. "At least think of Case and Charlie. Please you can beat, don't let them win."

'Tinga' answered with another punch and kick combination at blinding speed – even for an X5. Manticore must have been working on some upgrades before burning to the ground, Max thought.

"Max," Asha yelled. "Jump!"

Max saw Asha dump the contents of a barrel and Alec pull out some power cables. When the water reached the Steelhead, Alec dropped the cables conducting the electrical current across the floor into the Steelhead. 'Tinga' jerked and twitched as its systems shorted out and overloaded the collapsed.

Outside they found Bruce and Robbie still in their car, dead – their necks broken.

SEBASTIAN'S LAB

Max, Asha and Alec hovered behind Sebastian as they watched his nurse examine the Steelhead that had once been Tinga. The whole scene reminded Max of the that time they did an autopsy on that Red when the South Africans were after her. The big difference this time being it was no faceless thug lying on the slab – this was her sister, she had a husband and son, the type of life most people only read about. Then Manticore caught her and when they couldn't convert her or find out that special part of her biology that enabled her to pass her genes to her offspring they turned her into another one of their monstrosities.

"Got it," Sebastian's modulated voice announced. They all looked up and saw Sebastian's nurse pull something out of the back of Tinga's skull. "A modified Red chip."

"A Red chip," Alec said incredulously. "Why would Manticore be injecting South African surplus into their perfect soldiers?"

"It is unlikely Manticore was responsible. The chip shows signs of modification to make the technology compatible."

"Guess that explains why they were so much stronger and faster."

"How's Tinga," Max asked. "Can we switch her back on?"

"Yes," Sebastian said. "But you should know, most of her higher brain functions no longer function. If we were to reactivate her she would be no better than a robot."

Max took another look at the empty shell that had once been her sister. "Get on the horn to Dr. Shankar and see if she can arrange for Tinga's body to be cremated."

"Taken care of," Asha said. "I had a clean up crew collect the remains at the factory. I'll just have them swing by to pick her up."

Eyes Only had a clean up crew, Max though. She felt so far out of the loop it wasn't funny anymore.

"You should know," Sebastian interjected. "That the Steelheads were receiving radio signals directing them to you. I can have the signal traced back to the source."

"How long," Max and Asha said simultaneously and glanced at each other awkwardly.

Nonplussed Sebastian continued, "Two hours tops."

Hold on Logan, Max thought. We're coming, just try to hold on a little longer.

To Be Continued …


	8. PART VIII: Opening Your Eyes Only

**PART VIII: Opening Your Eyes (Only)**

Sebastian had tracked the signal to the Warehouse and within an hour Max, Asha and Alec were scouting outside waiting impatiently for Detective Sung to arrive with backup.

Getting fed up, Max announced, "I'm going in."

"Max wait," Asha said, but she was already off. Swearing, she loaded her gun and took off after her.

Alec hesitated for a moment then rolled his eyes and followed.

"Women," he grumbled. "I coulda gone to the Night Owl. Gotten to know some the lovely ladies there and be enjoying myself right now. But noooo – I had to spend my evening chasing after two psycho-chicks trying to rescue mankind's self-appointed saviour!"

Getting in had been remarkably easy: no guards or alarms. However both Max and Alec could hear various cries of pain and torture. They split up to carry out a more effective search. Seeing no one about, Max began kicking open. Most of the rooms were empty, but some had people clearly in pain. She reassured each of them that help was on the way and continued her search. After several hits and misses, her instincts led her to the one she sought.

Meanwhile the Detail Man was watching all this from a safe distance.

"That's her," Higgs yelled, pointing at the security monitor. "That's the psycho-bitch who tried to kill me!"

"Indeed," the Detail Man said. _Pity she didn't succeed_, he thought unprofessionally. "Mr. Hergstrand, invite the young lady and her friends to join us."

"Sir," Mr. Hergstrand said, indicating another monitor. "We have a problem."

It revealed that outside the police were massing outside.

_Oh dear_, thought the Detail Man. _This could be problematic_.

Higgs on the other hand, was beginning to panic. "Oh God, oh God, oh God. I can't be caught here! I have to get away. How do I get out of here? What are we going to do!"

"As a they say on the streets," the Detail Man droned. " 'It's time to cover our asses'. Mr. Hergstrand."

The muscle-bound suit pulled out a gun and promptly shot Councilman Higgs in the head. He then placed the gun in Higgs' hand.

"Very good, Mr. Hergstand," said the Detail Man. "Now institute full evacuation procedure. I want all are people out of here before the police reach the holding cells."

"What about the prisoners?"

"Leave them. If we need them, we can always collect them later. Now get everybody out of here, yourself included."

"Yes sir."

Max stood there staring at the man she'd thought she would never see again. Just hanging there like something out of a bad sword and sorcery movie. Seeing he didn't have his exoskeleton, Max deduced the chains holding him were more to prop him up than restrain him. However she wouldn't have put it past his big brain to devise some daring plan of escape involving him crawling to freedom.

Max unconsciously walked toward him taking an inventory of his injuries. His face had so many bruises his eyes were swollen shut; his lips were bloody and cracked; his arms and torso were covered with ugly black burns; and she didn't want to guess how many bones were broken.

The blood was pounding so hard in her ears, her senses couldn't tell if Logan was alive or not. So many things needed to be said. Things she didn't know how to put into words. Well, she did but they just didn't sound right. Things she wanted him to hear just to know how he felt. Her gloved hand reached out and gently touched the side of his face.

"Logan," she whispered.

"Max," he wheezed, causing her to jump. (She was grateful Alec wasn't here. He'd never have let her live it down no matter how many times she beat him up.)

"Max," Logan repeated in a dry voice, trying to open one of his swollen eyes. "Knew … knew you'd … find me … knew you'd find me … Just … had to … wait … another hour … Just … one more hour … hold on … just another hour …"

Max grabbed hold of Logan's manacles and with her enhanced strength (mixed with rage, pain and relief) ripped them off. Catching him as he fell, Max was careful that their skin didn't touch. She was wearing her full-body cat suit and gloves, but her face and hair were uncovered. If so much as a strand of hair came into contact with him, he was a dead man. She gently lowered him to the ground, resting his head on her lap.

"Knew you'd … find me … Just had to … hold on … a little longer …"

"Shhhh," Max cooed softly, stroking his hair. "It's okay. It'll be all right now."

**_BANG!_**

Max looked behind her to see Asha standing over a prone thug holding a smoking gun.

A part of Max actually growled. That primal part of her DNA the scientists hadn't been able to screen out, of the tigress confronting a rival for a mate. Fortunately it wasn't loud enough to hear.

"Oh my God – Logan," Asha exclaimed, rushing up to them.

"Help me get him up," Max said taking his arm. "I don't suppose you noticed his exo-skeleton lying around anywhere?"

Asha shook her head. "No."

"Didn't think so."

Asha put Logan's arm around her shoulders while Max awkwardly lifted him by his left arm. The two of them began the arduous task of carrying his dead weight to safety.

"Where the hell is Alec?" Max cursed.

"Probably took off when he heard the police sirens."

Actually Alec had run into a trio of bruisers and was in the process of wiping the floor with them. So far, since Cale had gotten himself into this mess, he'd had his nose broken, roughed up by a psycho-cybernetic twin and lost out on a raunchy night and he was desperate to take it out on someone.

Alec surveyed his handiwork. All three bruisers were on the floor in various states of pain and unconsciousness, accomplished in less than fifteen minutes. Let's see Gimp Only do that, he thought smugly, right before the taser bolt him. His whole body went ridged then collapsed to the floor, flapping his arms and legs uncontrollably. The shock wasn't enough to knock him out, but it would be a good three minutes before he regained control of his body. Alec saw somebody in a cheap suit with a ventriloquist's dummy's face step out of the shadows and disappear down a service elevator.

Max and Asha continued to struggle with Logan down the hallway. Asha trying to carry him and Max trying to support him without touching him. Eventually they gave up and decided to give him a rest. They eased him as gently as they could to the floor. As Asha made Logan comfortable, Max resisted the urge to break her fingers.

"I'll go scout ahead."

"Right," Asha replied, continuing to fuss over Logan.

Max hesitated before setting off into the dark.

Asha did her best to make to Logan comfortable, doing her best to ignore his semi-nudity. _God how pathetic is that_, Asha thought. _And the worst part is, this is probably about as close to him as I'll ever get_.

"Logan," Asha said, lightly slapping him. "Logan stay with we."

"Asha," Logan wheezed, sounding surprised. "What're you doing here?"

"We came to get you out."

"You and Max? Working together," Logan laughed hysterically. "Now that's funny."

_He's getting delirious_. She grabbed the sides of his head, forcing him to look at her. "Logan! Logan, focus. Stay with me!" she contemplated kissing him, if his lips weren't cracked and bloodied.

Max returned shortly with Alec in tow. "Look who I found, shivering on the floor."

Alec shot Max a dirty look. "I was tasered, okay."

"So basically, you're saying an ordinary got the drop on you."

"Will you two shut up and help me with him." Asha snapped.

Reluctantly, Alec looped Logan's left arm over his shoulder, while Asha supported his right and Max took point. They weaved their way through the winding corridors evading police and thugs alike. Eventually they made it outside, only to be confronted by a squad of Sector Cops.

Upon seeing them, the Sector Cops lowered their weapons and the sergeant stepped forward, saying, "Asha, everything all right?"

"Everything's perfect, Jack," Asha said. "Stan, Allan give me a hand. And somebody contact Dr. Carr."

Two "cops" came forward to take Logan and bundled him into the back of a police van, Asha not far behind.

_Must be S1W_, Max thought.

"You coming," Asha asked.

"S'Okay," Max said, cutting off Alec. "We got our own ride."

Asha held Max's gaze for a beat. "Right. Let's roll people."

"We still on for Friday," Alec asked.

Asha ignored him and closed the door as the van drove off.

Max grabbed Alec by his shoulder and dragged him off. "Let's go, Romeo."

**MERCY MEDICAL HOSPITAL**

_Three Weeks Later …_

Logan awoke for the first time to no pain. The swelling had gone down sufficiently so he could see with both eyes and a variety of oils and dermal patches had his burns on the mend. He looked around to unexpectedly see Asha sitting at his bedside.

"Hey," he said.

"Hi," she replied. "How're you feeling?"

"Pretty awful," he said, trying to sit up. "But considering how I was feeling, I'd say that's an improvement."

Asha gently placed a hand on Logan's chest and said softly. "You shouldn't try to move around so much yet. The dermal patches haven't quite finished."

Asha's hand rested on Logan's chest a little longer than was probably necessary before saying, "Just so you know, we found you're legs."

"What?" Logan said, uncomprehending.

"Your exo-skeleton. We found it tucked away in the warehouse. Apparently whoever it was who grabbed you was trying to figure out what the heck it did. Sebastian says he should have it up and running by the time you get out of here."

"Good to know. Any sign of the Detail Man?"

"Who?"

Logan quickly filled her in on all he knew about one of Seattle's most elusive mastermind's – which wasn't much. As a member of the city's elite he had heard rumours about him, but nothing substantial until he'd become his prisoner. Asha told him all they found were a lot of scared victims.

Acting impulsively for the first time in a long time, Asha leaned down and kissed Logan on the lips. He didn't encourage her, but neither did he push her away.

"Asha - " Logan began.

But she placed a finger to his lips, silencing him. "I know."

She left the hospital room fighting back tears.

Logan lay alone in his hospital bed, contemplating what had just happened. He confessed the thought of hooking up with Asha had never not occurred to him. Those months when he thought Max was dead, him and Asha had worked together closely and successfully on many Eyes Only missions. At the time, he'd been so driven, so focused (some would say obsessed) with taking down Manticore, nothing else mattered. But he wasn't completely blind to those around him. They shared similar interests and goals. She was just more proactive that he was. He had at least once, considered that when he succeeded and Max was avenged, maybe …

But Max wasn't dead, and the walls between them they'd so painstakingly knocked down had been replaced this time with more tangible ones. It was so maddening to be so close to the woman he desired, but forced to keep his distance because she was now literally poison to him.

Logan must have dozed off, because suddenly it was night – and he wasn't alone.

"Hey," came a familiar voice.

"Hey yourself." Logan's face broke into a wide grin as Max melted out of the shadows.

"How you feeling?"

"Better now. Been here long?"

_He has such a nice smile_, Max thought. _He should show it off more often_. "You wish."

"I do actually," he said, his voice dropping a note.

Max ignored the implication. "I'd have come by sooner, but Normal's got me working extra hours. That and I've been dodging Rafer all day. The boy can't take a hint."

"Try breaking a few bones. That usually works."

"I'll do that."

A very long moment of agonizing silence followed.

"I should get going," Max said finally.

"Max wait," Logan grabbed her hand, but Max just let her glove slip off and kept on for the door, ignoring Logan's pleas after her.

Max made it to the end of the hallway, where she collapsed against the wall and slid to the floor, sobbing. Ever since she first met Logan all she could do was feel. Some feelings she wanted to get lost in, while others she wanted to cut out of her with a dull butter knife. But how long could she be with the man she loved without actually _being_ with him. These feelings constantly threatened to overwhelm her. Alec would tell her to cut Logan out of her life if she knew what was good for her, but she didn't want to cut him out. But that was quickly becoming the only option left to her to ensure Logan's safety. she'd been trained to make tough decisions, but not like this. She just wasn't sure how much more of this she could take.

**THE END (For Now…)**


End file.
